Tuesday 15 September 2026
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Grenfell cost-cutting director appointed to senior council housing role despite survivor outrage

Laura Johnson, who oversaw cheaper contractor at Grenfell Tower, lands £150,000-a-year post at Barnet Group

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By LineZotpaper
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Grenfell Tower survivors and bereaved relatives have condemned as “outrageous” the appointment of Laura Johnson, the director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at the time of the 2017 fire, to a permanent £150,000-a-year senior housing role at the Barnet Group, which manages the borough’s 13,000 council homes.

Johnson, who pushed for a cheaper contractor in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, has been appointed permanent director of development and property at the Barnet Group. The role oversees development and property management for Barnet’s council housing stock.

Fire survivors and bereaved relatives have urged the Barnet Group to “reconsider” the decision, calling it an “outrageous decision” given Johnson’s role in cost-cutting measures that contributed to the deadly fire. The 2017 Grenfell Tower fire killed 72 people and exposed systemic failures in building safety and social housing regulation.

The appointment raises questions about accountability and public trust in housing management following the Grenfell tragedy. The Barnet Group has not publicly responded to the criticism at the time of reporting.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The appointment directly affects 13,000 council tenants in Barnet, who may question the oversight of their housing management.
  • It highlights ongoing tensions between cost-saving imperatives in social housing and the safety lessons from Grenfell.
  • The decision could influence public confidence in local government appointments and accountability for past failures.

Background

The Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 killed 72 people after flammable cladding and inadequate fire safety measures led to the rapid spread of flames. A public inquiry concluded that cost-cutting by contractors and local authorities, including the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, contributed to the disaster. Laura Johnson served as director of housing at RBKC during the refurbishment and was involved in decisions to use cheaper materials. The Barnet Group is an arm’s-length management organisation that runs Barnet’s council housing.

Key Perspectives

Grenfell survivors and bereaved relatives: They have called the appointment “outrageous” and urged the Barnet Group to reconsider, arguing that Johnson should not hold a senior housing role given her past involvement in cost-cutting that compromised safety. Barnet Group: No comment has been reported; the organisation has not publicly justified or defended the appointment. Council housing advocates and safety campaigners: Though not directly cited in the source, the decision is likely to reignite concerns about whether lessons from Grenfell are being applied across the social housing sector.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Barnet Group responds to the demands to reconsider Johnson’s appointment.
  • Any formal complaints or legal challenges from residents or campaign groups.
  • Potential scrutiny from the Regulator of Social Housing or local government ombudsman.

Sources

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Articles published under the Zotpaper byline are synthesized from multiple source publications by our AI editor and reviewed by our editorial process. Each story combines reporting from credible outlets to give readers a balanced, comprehensive view.

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